Alstroemeria plant named &#39;Zaprilaur&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Zaprilaur’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate; numerous white-colored flowers with greyed orange-colored stripes on the inner perianth segments; and excellent container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZAPRILAUR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, commercially used as a potted and garden-type Alstroemeria plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zaprilaur’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Alstroemeria plants with uniform plant habit, freely flowering habit, attractive leaf and flower coloration and good garden performance.

The new Alstroemeria plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in May, 2008 of a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 61115-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 57233-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in July, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by rhizome divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands since September, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zaprilaur’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zaprilaur’ as a new and distinct potted Alstroemeria plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded         plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Numerous white-colored flowers with greyed orange-colored         stripes on the inner perianth segments.     -   4. Excellent container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have white-colored flowers with green-colored stripes on the segments of the inner perianth.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Zapriclair’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,588. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Alstroemeria differ primarily from plants of ‘Zapriclair’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria flower about 10 days later         than plants of ‘Zapriclair’.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have smaller flowers than         plants of ‘Zapriclair’.     -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and ‘Zapriclair’ differ         slightly in flower color as plants of ‘Zapriclair’ have creamy         white-colored flowers with greyed purple-colored stripes on the         segments of the inner perianth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zaprilaur’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zaprilaur’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown during the late winter and early spring in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° C., soil temperature averaged 14° C. and minimum light levels were 5,000 lux. Plants were three months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Zaprilaur’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida             selection identified as code number 61115-2, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida             selection identified as code number 57233-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—In vitro rhizogenesis.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy, thick; close to 155D in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.         -   Rhizomes.—Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About 10 cm to             30 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 10 mm. Texture: Smooth.             Color: Close to 155D. -   Overall plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly             spreading and uniformly mounding plant habit; freely             branching habit with numerous lateral branches, dense and             bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 40 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright.         -   Length.—About 20 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 139B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Appearance.—Simple, asymmetrical; sessile.         -   Length.—About 9 cm to 10 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm to 3.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 138A; venation, close to 141D. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 139C; venation,             close to 137D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in             compound umbels; flowers face mostly outwardly; perianth             segments separate; freely flowering habit with about four to             five flowers per inflorescence and about 16 to 20 flowers             open per plant at one time.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous during the             spring in The Netherlands; early flowering habit, plants             begin flowering about 80 to 90 days after planting.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four weeks; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 cm.             Shape: Roughly ovoid. Color: Close to 155D.         -   Umbel height.—About 10 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 11 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 7 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Inner             perianth, lateral segments: Length: About 6.2 cm. Width:             About 2.6 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Wishbone-shaped.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Shallowly serrate. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N155D; apex, close             to 133B; stripes, close to 163A; color does not change with             development. Color, when opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to N155D; central venation, close to 141B;             color does not change with development. Inner perianth,             median segment: Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Wishbone-shaped. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Shallowly serrate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening, upper             surface: Close to N155D; apex, close to 133B. Color, when             opening, lower surface: Close to N155D; central venation,             close to 141B. Color, fully opened, upper surface: Close to             N155D; apex, close to 133B; stripes, close to 163A; color             does not change with development. Color, fully opened, lower             surface: Close to N155D; central venation, close to 141B;             color does not change with development. Outer perianth,             lateral segments: Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm.             Shape: Obovate. Apex: Emarginate with an embedded point.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Shallowly serrate. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N1551); apex,             close to 133B; color does not change with development.             Color, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close             to N155D; apex and central veins, close to 141B; color does             not change with development. Outer perianth, median segment:             Length: About 5.5 cm. Width: About 3.3 cm. Shape: Obovate.             Apex: Emarginate with an embedded point. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Shallowly serrate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to N155D; apex, close to 133B;             color does not change with development. Color, when opening             and fully opened, lower surface: Close to N155D; apex and             central veins, close to 141B; color does not change with             development.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm             to 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: About 30° from vertical.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 139B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             six. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to 160B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 17B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Style length: About 4.3 cm. Style color: Close to N155D.             Stigma shape: Three-parted. Stigma color: Close to N155D.             Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Alstroemeria. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemeria plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to have excellent garden performance and to tolerate wind,     rain and temperatures from about −5° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zaprilaur’ as illustrated and described. 